


Echo

by glowydean



Series: Hello, Stranger [10]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Character Death, Crying, Emotional, I Love You, Love, M/M, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-04
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 08:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/784024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glowydean/pseuds/glowydean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is fatally wounded in the battle against Heaven and Hell for the Angel and Demon tablet.  Castiel has fallen from grace and is unable to heal Dean.  Castiel cannot forgive himself for not protecting Dean when he needed him the most.  Dean gets a little taste of the afterlife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dean Winchester Is Dead

Dean Winchester was dying.

Castiel cradled Dean's body in his arms as though he were a little child. Dean's face was covered in bruises and scrapes leaving him unrecognizable. His right eye was swollen shut, but his left eye remained open and focused on Castiel. It was eerily similar to the night in the crypt, when Dean was on his knees begging Castiel not to kill him. His lips were parted and with every breath he took his chest made a terrifying rattling sound.

Castiel could do nothing but weep. His blue eyes were filled with water; oceans of tears that he never knew were hidden inside the body of his vessel.

Sam stood off to the side, his eyes glazed over. "He's dying, isn't he?" Sam asked in a hoarse voice.

Castiel lifted his head and looked at Sam. "I think so," he said in a low voice laced with resignation and defeat. Castiel turned back to Dean and cursed softly beneath his breath. Dean Winchester was dying in his arms and there was absolutely  _nothing_  he could do about it.

Sam cradled his broken arm and limped over to Castiel's side. Pain shot up his arm like hot knives slashing at his skin, but no pain could compare to what he felt in his heart as he looked into his brother's good eye. How many times had they ended up here? How many times did he see his brother die? His eyes filled with tears, not of sorrow, but of anger and rage. With great difficulty, Sam got down on his knees so he could be on the same level as Dean. "Don't you dare die on me, Dean," he said angrily.

The shadow of a smile ghosted across Dean's bloodied lips before he erupted into a fit of coughs. His entire body shook and little flecks of blood flew out of his mouth and onto Castiel's face.

Cas didn't bat an eyelash at Dean's coughing fit or at his body as it violently shivered in his arms. He held onto Dean and continued to stare down into his eye. Castiel wondered how many bones had been broken in Dean's body as he had squared off against Naomi. Castiel's eyes trailed the length of the room and lingered on Naomi's corpse and the large span of blackened feathers that had been burned into the ground around her.

"You stupid son of a bitch," Castiel whispered softly.

This brought on the small lifting of the corner of his mouth; a macabre ghost of a smile, teeth and lips covered in blood.

Castiel touched Dean's face tenderly, echoing once again to their night in the crypt. Castiel was suddenly painfully aware of just how  _human_  he had become since he had given up his grace. If it had still been his, he knew he would have gladly given it all up to Dean to heal him from the inside out. But Castiel had fallen, and now he was just as human and Sam and Dean, which meant he could do absolutely nothing to help Dean. Castiel was nothing but a mortal man with immortal memories.

"I failed him, Sam," he heard himself say.

"No," Sam said quietly.

Castiel felt more tears well in his eyes and some of them rolled down his cheeks and hung on his chin. "I was supposed to protect him, to protect you, and look what happened," he said.

Sam reached out and gently placed a hand on Castiel's shoulder. "That's the risk we take every time we take a case," he said.

Castiel shook his head. "No Sam…I…" his voice trailed off.

Sam observed Castiel and then he looked at Dean. From the way his face looked, he knew he didn't have much time left. By the time they had realized what had happened to Dean, they knew it was too late to take him to a hospital. Sam knew that Dean would have preferred to die here, instead of in an ambulance or in some dingy hospital bed. He also knew that if he wanted to say anything to his brother, this would be the time. He moved from Castiel's side and sat across from him instead so he could take Dean's hand in his own.  As he did so, his eyes filled up with tears and he didn't even bother to hide them. They fell freely down his face and he tasted them on his lips.

"Dean…I know I've…been a pain in the ass since day one, but you always took care of me, you always put me first…" Sam's voice trailed off as a lump formed in his throat. "I don't know if you can even hear me but…thank you, Dean. For everything." He squeezed Dean's hand lightly and his heart sank when Dean did not squeeze back. "Cas, he's fading fast," Sam said.

Castiel let out a shaky breath that he didn't realize he had been holding in. His heart felt as though it weighed 20 tons and he wished more than anything that he could just zap himself out of this room filled with blood and death and sit somewhere on a bench, next to Dean, when things were easier between them, when it didn't hurt so much. Now, looking down at the man that he cradled in his arms, he realized just how much he had come to love him. He opened his mouth and for a second, no words escaped it. How could he possibly tell Dean how he felt about him now? When he was mere inches away from death, barely hanging on?  All Castiel wanted to do was to say the words that sat at the tip of his tongue.  Somehow, this all seemed so much easier in his head. "Dean I…I love you," he whispered finally.

Sam looked up at Castiel.  

"I love you, okay? You can't leave me now…not like this," Castiel pleaded.

Dean's lips moved but no sound came out of his mouth.

Soon enough, Castiel's eyes were filled with tears to the point where Dean looked like a giant blob in his arms.

Dean's eye roved around wildly for a moment, and then he made several gasping sounds as though he were trying to catch his breath.

Castiel and Sam watched as Dean coughed once more and a thin line of blood dribbled from his lips down his chin. Dean's eye fluttered wildly again as though he were looking for someone, not really focusing on the two men beside him, and quite suddenly, his eye stopped moving, and his chest gave one last heave, and everything stopped. Dean's body relaxed in Castiel's arms, his eye glazed over, and just like that, he was gone.

"Dean?" Castiel said in a shaky voice. He knew there would be no answer, of course, but a small part of him couldn't help but hope that Dean was still alive somewhere in there. "Dean!" he said again, this time, louder, panic creeping into his voice.

"Cas, Cas he's gone," Sam said quietly.

Castiel wept silently and hugged Dean's body to his chest, getting Dean's blood all over his clothes mingled in with his own. Castiel cursed to the heavens, he cursed the demons and the angels; he cursed God. He wondered how God, how  _his father_  could be so cruel, to give him something, to give him someone so special, and then just rip them out of his hands like it was nothing.

Sam rose up from the ground and walked away from Dean and Cas. He couldn't bear it. He couldn't look at Dean, dead, yet again. He too, wept. He wept for his brother. He wept for his mother, for his father, for Jess, and for everyone else who had died in crossing his path. He wept for Castiel who had finally told Dean that he loved him, only to have him die in his arms. He wept because he knew no amount of shaking, or poking or praying would bring Dean back because Dean Winchester was dead.


	2. When Death Came To Visit

When Dean opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was his dead body in Castiel's arms. "Ah shit," he muttered. He was dead,  _again_. "This is really starting to get old," he said to himself. He looked around the room for his reaper and breathed a ghostly sigh of relief when he saw none. He walked over to his dead body and looked at Cas who was crying and screaming and he wished he could just reach out and shake him. "Cas, this isn't your fault!" he said loudly.

"He can't hear you, Dean. But then again, you already know that."

Dean turned around and sighed when he realized who had been talking to him. It was Death.

"Good to see you," Dean said sarcastically.

Death cocked an eyebrow. "We've really got to stop meeting like this, Dean," Death said, the hint of a smile on his lips.

"You ah, come to lead me into the white light? What happened to Tessa?" Dean asked.

"I thought I would come myself to personally escort you to the pearly gates," Death said delicately.

Dean let out another breath of air. It was weird how he still felt the need to breathe, even as a ghost. "So this it huh? I'm really dead. For good this time," Dean said.

"You sound disappointed," Death said.

Dean looked back at Castiel and then over at Sam. "Yeah you could say that," he said quietly.

"You are indeed a strange man, Dean Winchester. But I like you," Death said.

Dean frowned. "Death likes me. Okay. Thank you," Dean said apprehensively.

"No need to look so terrified, Dean. It's not as though I could kill you," he said with a smirk.

"You know, since I'm already dead, I just have to say, you are one sassy mother fucker, anyone ever tell you that?" Dean asked.

Death chuckled. "I've been called many things, Dean, but never a sassy mother fucker, as you so eloquently put it," he said. Death folded his hands over his cane and studied Castiel. "This fallen angel…he loves you very much," he observed.

Dean looked down at Castiel and smiled sadly. "Yeah, he does," he said, his voice laced with regret.

"And what would you do if you had a second chance?" Death asked.

"I'd tell him that I love him too," he said sadly.

"And your brother?"

Dean looked over at Sam. "Oh, I've told Sammy everything that he ever needs to hear from me," he said with a small smile. "He's probably tired of hearing me, anyway," Dean said.

Death sighed and Dean turned around to face him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Dean asked.

"Eager, are we?" Death asked with a small smile.

"I can't stay here and look at them like this. They won't be able to move on if I'm still here," Dean said.

"You want them to move on?" Death asked.

Dean licked his lips and shifted his weight. "Yes," he said. "If it means that they'll forget about me and move on, then I'll go," Dean said.

"You Winchesters, such martyrs," Death said. "Always willing to give yourselves up for the other. Do you really expect them to forget you and move on so quickly?" Death asked.

"If my soul isn't hanging around, it'll speed up the process," Dean said. Was he really arguing with Death right now? Dean could not wrap his mind around it.

Death gave a little huff and then he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a beautiful glass bottle that was filled half way with a strange substance that looked both like water and air at the same time. The liquid or air or whatever the hell it was gave off a little glow.

"What the hell is that?" Dean asked.

"Oh, just the breath of life," Death said casually.

If Dean had been sitting in a chair, he's sure he would have fallen out of it by now. "The breath of life? As in the breath of  _God_?" Dean asked incredulously.

"Yes, Dean, as in the breath of God," Death replied sarcastically. "I've been saving this for a long time. I knew one day it would come in handy. I think today is that day," he said.

Dean's mouth formed a perfect O. "What? For  _me_?" Dean asked.

"What? You don't think you deserve to live?" Death asked.

Dean shook his head. "No, I mean, yes I deserve to live but…why me?" Dean asked.

Death chuckled. "Because I like you, Dean. And who am I to interrupt one of the greatest love stories ever told?" he asked.

Dean looked over at Castiel and Sam. Castiel was still crying and hugging Dean's body.

Sam had moved over to Cas and was attempting to get him to let go of Dean.

"Okay. So you can bring me back to live with the God juice. What's the catch?" Dean asked.

"There is no catch, Dean. It's the breath of life. It's just enough to revive you and heal some of your superficial wounds. Your broken bones and bruised organs will take some time to heal normally. But you should be fine," Death explained.

Dean looked at Death, at the bottle and then at Castiel and Sam. "Okay," he said. "What do I do?" Dean asked.

"I'll handle it from here, Dean. And before I go, I don't want to see you again, for a  _long, long_ time. Do you hear me?" Death scolded.

Dean grinned. "I'll do my best," he said.

Death shook his head and closed his eyes. His form shimmered in front of Dean and then suddenly Sam let out a very loud  _holy shit_  to which Death lifted an eyebrow.

"Good to see you too, Sam," he said.

Castiel looked up at Death, his eyes red and he hugged Dean's body closer to him. "I won't let you take him," Castiel said.

"Come now, Castiel, Dean is already dead, I have already taken him," Death said.

"Well then what the hell are you doing here?" Sam snapped.

Death procured the little glass bottle from his pocket and handed it to Castiel.

Castiel's face quite suddenly brightened up considerably. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked in a reverent voice. He held the small bottle in his hands and looked at it as though it were the most precious thing on earth.

"Yes. You know what you have to do?" Death asked.

Castiel nodded and gently removed the stopper from the bottle. The gold substance shone brilliantly as Castiel poured it into his mouth.

Sam watched in awe as Castiel leaned over Dean's face.

Castiel opened Dean's mouth and gently blew the gold substance into Dean. When all of it had found its way into Dean's mouth, Castiel quickly shut Dean's lips. For a moment, nothing happened, and then, quite suddenly as though nothing had happened, Dean's eyes shot open and he was gasping for breath. He reached out and grabbed onto Castiel's arm as he struggled to breathe. The swelling on his face had gone down and most of the cuts and bruises were already fading.

Castiel wept happy tears as he looked down at Dean.

"Dean!" Sam shouted.

Dean turned his head to Sam and he grinned. "Sammy," he said. Dean turned back to Castiel and smiled at him, tears forming in his eyes.

Castiel opened his mouth to say something to Dean but before the words could leave his lips; Dean had pulled Castiel close to him and planted a kiss on Castiel's lips. The kiss was soft and Castiel's mouth was eager and hungry.

They were both smiling through the kiss and Sam rolled his eyes. "Took you guys long enough," he muttered.

Castiel helped Dean to a sitting position and he winced.

"Where's Death?" Dean asked.

They all looked around and realized that Death had gone.

"Not here," Castiel replied warmly.

"I'm not all healed up, wasn't enough juice for all of that. I should probably still go to the hospital," Dean said.

"I'll go bring the car around," Sam said pointedly. He left the two of them sitting in the room alone.

Castiel stared at Dean and he smiled. "I should have protected you, Dean," Castiel said.

Dean shook his head. "Don't. Don't blame yourself for this, Cas. You did what you had to do. You gave up your grace…you made a huge sacrifice," Dean said gently.

"Yes but…"

"No buts. I don't hold anything against you, Cas. You need to know that," Dean said.

Castiel nodded slowly.

"So you love me, huh?" Dean asked.

"You were dying Dean. I should have-"

Dean cut Castiel off with another kiss on the lips. When they pulled away Dean reached out and touched Castiel's face. "I don't care about what you should have done, or what you did. I care about what you're going to do."

Castiel covered Dean's hand with his own and nodded.

Dean felt them, the words, they were just sitting there at the tip of his tongue, begging, waiting to be said. He finally opened his mouth and spoke. "I love you, Cas," Dean said quietly.

Castiel's eyes filled with tears. "I know," he replied. Castiel let out a shaky breath and leaned his forehead against Dean's. They closed their eyes and remained silent. This was all they needed, this one moment, the stillness in the air, no sound but the sounds of their ragged breath, nothing else floating around in the air except for echoes of their words, echoes of their love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww see, happy ending. Yay. Hugs and kisses for everyone!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this popped into my head while on the way to work today and I had to write it! Chapter Two should be up tomorrow. Depending on how I feel, I may even add a chapter Three! Let me know what you guys think! =D


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